Latest
investigation has revealed that contrary
to earlier report by Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris that his
predecessor, IGP Solomon Arase (rtd) made away with 24 Police vehicles
including the official IGP Staff Car, which is armoured plated and bullet
proof, and the spare staff car, both of which are BMW’s, both cars were sent to
an auto repair shop for total and comprehensive repairs for use of the next
IGP.

It
was learnt that the cars were sent to Auto Computers located in the Jabi
district of Abuja and that the spare BMW car has been completed and repainted.
The spare staff car was said to have been having engine problems for the last
five years before the last administration sent it for repairs.

A
source at Auto Computer said that the spare car was delivered to the Police
headquarters on Sunday afternoon after completion of repairs and that officials
of the company would visit the Acting IGP to demand for payment of the job
done.

For
the armoured plated Staff Car, it was learnt that because of the high
technology embedded in the car, the company will need more time to fix the
identified problems of the car as some of the needed parts will be imported.

The
source pointed out that nobody approached Auto Computer to ask about the
whereabouts of the cars, and that since it was the police that brought them,
they (company) just went about their repairs.

When
asked if the proper procedure of ascertaining location of the cars were
followed, it was discovered that the Works Department and the Force Transport
Department that would have been approached for explanations were not
approached. Rather, the IGP secretariat comprising of newly posted officers,
were said to have written the former IGP demanding the whereabouts of the staff
cars and other 22 vehicles, some the former IGP was said to have interpreted as
a slight on his person.

Further
investigation in other relevant departments regarding the whereabouts of other
vehicles showed that the vehicles were intact and that while some were deployed
for operations, the Police had records of the location of others.

Recall
that when news of the alleged missing 24 vehicles made the rounds on Sunday,
the former IGP, responded to questions saying the allegations were the
handiwork of mischief makers bent on trying to tarnish his integrity. He wondered
what he would be doing with 24 Police operational vehicles when he was not
operating a car mart.